Happy birthday, dad!

My dad and I have an interesting relationship. We seem to be the only people in our family that don't feel that it is necessary to talk all of the time. Don't get me wrong... When I get going, it's hard to shut me up, but I don't HAVE to fill every silence with noise. It's something that I get from him.

He once told me (as I was bitching about one of them) that "Being the president must be the most thankless job in the world no matter which party you represent." And, no. He doesn't vote.

He knows how to attract and hunt bears. He once held the state record for the biggest mountain lion killed in the state of Utah. He is the embodiment of "cowboy" and everything that it represents.

He is kind to his horses and dogs. He's learned to make a mean meatloaf. The MOST unlikely person to do so, he has embraced the fact that I'm a lesbian. He still holds on to parts of his faith even though he hasn't stepped foot in a church for 20+ years.

He's an odd juxtaposition of a person.
He's rough and tender all at the same time.

Here he is tube feeding Peanut in the NICU just days after birth:

Here he is holding Meatball in the NICU:

Here he is already loving his little boys: